The Local Unit Commander Bonthe, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Augustine Kabia on Wednesday 22nd March 2023 led the team to Gbehan, Yawbeko Chiefdom, Bonthe District together with the Crime Officer, CRD personnel and met with the cross-section of Chiefdom authorities to seek solutions to the long-standing disputes between the Kollier families and the community and lastly preached peace as the June 24th, 2023 Multi-tier General Elections approach.
In achieving this great success, LUC Kabia has called on political parties, other Security agencies, and Religious and Civic Organisations to work as a team in the fight against lawlessness ahead of the June 24th Multi-tier General Elections.
LUC said he’s rolling up his sleeves to ensure that the prevailing peaceful environment continues during and after the forthcoming harmonized elections.
“A peaceful environment is prevailing in Bonthe District (Island) since the onset of the current elections season,” he said.
CSP Kabbia pledges his humble appeal to the parties involved that they should take themselves as peace committees/agents which are considered critical in peacebuilding as they encompass all stakeholders.
“I think if this committee is set up across the country, and regularly holds meetings aiming at oiling the machinery as head towards the harmonized elections, there will be no cost to alarm,” he added.
He considered peace committees as critical organs in his peace initiatives. They encompass all stakeholders, including the Community Actors, other security agencies, City Councils, Government Departments, Non-Community actors including Civic Organizations, Academia, and all other Community stakeholders. They all play a critical role to ensure that peace prevails.
The whole idea is to ensure that Bonthe District owns the peace-building process. It has to be a bottom-up approach. As the Police, we accept that we do not have a monopoly of knowledge over the peace-building initiatives.
Youths and religious and political organizations are all critical. The inclusion of all stakeholders is deliberate and is meant to ensure that everyone owns the process.
“The first gentleman in the Sierra Leone Police Force known as the Inspector General of Police William Fayia Sellu even entreats all to have a committee where we all embrace each other. All Sierra Leoneans wherever they are, have a role to play in building a peaceful Sierra Leone,” IGP said.
IGP once said peace is an important tool for the country’s development and attainment of its goal.
As an Information Officer, Bo West Police Division, PC: 19138 Alhaji Osman Mansaray, I, therefore urge all political leaders to shun hate speech, inciting violence, and preach the message of peace and tolerance.
Readers to shun self-hate.